Get ready...

What's up ballers...ok, so I haven't had a chance to update the blog on a weekly basis as mentioned because I've been busy getting things rolling for the upcoming MBA season and implementing a number of changes. There have been many inquiries over the summer so the 2010-2011 season looks to be promising and the level of play & competition will definitely step up.

Additions & Changes
With my wife & I expecting our 2nd child and the league growing, it was inevitable that organizing the league would become a little more time consuming and more help would be needed. With that being said I'd like to welcome Thai Du to the MBA family. Thai has been a constant regular at the Monday night runs for the past 10 years, has as much love & passion for the game as I do, served as an "advisor" to the league since it's inaugral season and spent many post-run nights providing input on how we can improve the MBA. Thai & myself will be sharing the duties in co-ordinating the league and managing the operations. I'm confident that this is a step in the right direction as we work towards continuous improvement and growth. Please join me in welcoming Thai and from now on send all your complaints to him instead of me!

Finally time to update this thing...

I never realized how long it's been since I've updated this blog...actually, yah I do know but what can I say. I've been busy man. My wife is giving birth to our 2nd child in January (just in time for the start of the 2011 MBA season) and my son demands more & more attention as he gets older LOL...so where the hell do I start???

2010 MBA FINALS:

I never updated the blog shortly after the finals were done, but if you visited the league website www.leaguelineup.com/mbl you would have seen that the Rebels won the 3rd and deciding game of the finals by 1 point! Travis won the the 2010 league MVP. This was a tough decision and really came down to the final game. There were a number of strong candidates for MVP but Travis' decision making was solid the whole year, he hit the most 3's and came up with a clutch block in the dying seconds in Game 3 of the Finals. Congratulations to Travis & the Rebels!

2010 NBA FINALS:

The NBA 2010 Champs are my Lakers! The series was mad close, but I honestly think they saw how exciting & entertaining the MBA Finals were and wanted to emulate it. They came close, but I have to admit...the MBA refs are waaaaay better at officiating a game!

The Summer

And just like that, we're already 1/2 way through August and the Monday Night Run that started this whole thing will start up again..for the 11th consecutive year! Some of the MBA players have made a court up in The Stove (Stouffville for you non-cool people) their summer home. Runs have been good, hopefully some of the ballers we've met there will register for the 2011 season.

2011 Season and Beyond

Since the season has ended, I've gotten a number of inquiries about the league and what it's about. Being that last year was only our 2nd season, a lot was learned and there will be changes. In the upcoming season, we're expecting to expand to 6 teams. Gym time is secured and things are being implemented to ensure the league is run in a more organized and professional manner. Board officials will be used for the games and this will affect the registration price however, the registration price will still be cost effective.

2011 is going to be a really good year for the MBA. I'm expecting even bigger things for 2012!

Ok...so that's it for now. Now that the summer is closing out, I'll try to stay on top of updating this at least once a week. But no promises :)

Screw the Heat...Raptors stink...GO LAKERS!

Man, been a minute since this blog has been updated. Not much to blog about anyway...MBA semi’s are done. The Gators had a 2 game sweep of the Wildcats. Both games were really close and although the Wildcats swept the season series, the Gators pulled it together and came out with the wins. The Rebels also swept the Bulldogs. First game wasn’t that close but the Bulldogs put up a fight in Game 2 forcing the Rebels to dig and come back from behind. It was a disappointing season for the Bulldogs as they managed to win only 1 game all year. I’m confident they’ll adjust, tweak their roster and bounce back next year J

MBA Finals is currently tied at 1 game a piece. Both games were decided by 2 points and we’re seeing both teams play at a really high intensity level. The final game will be played this Sunday (June 6^th) and I’m expecting it to be an intense game. Picking an MVP is gonna be tough, but I think it’s a toss up between 4 players right now.

This season is surely one to remember. 2 years into the league and we’ve had significant growth from year 1 to year 2. Next year promises to be even better…people are starting to hear about the league and regardless if they’re hearing good things or bad things, the word is getting out there. I can see it now…the draft being broadcasted on TSN as I proudly announce “with the 1^st selection in this years MBA draft, The Bulldogs select the next coming of Michael Jordan…” Wait a sec, if the Bulldogs get 1^st pick, then that means we had a shit season…again…dammit!

With my wife & I expecting our 2^nd child just before the start of next season, I’ll have to start planning early! LOL, yah right…as if I already don’t have 50% of the planning for next season done :)

I’ll update the blog shortly after the finals are done…I’ll have pictures and video too.

Playoffs are here!

So the MBA playoffs have started. A few things have happened since my last blog posting…Wildcats won on a fluke buzzer beater, Rebels continue their win streak & dominance and my Bulldogs continue to struggle despite showing glimpses of the most balanced team from a skills standpoint. One thing I did notice is that most people have cut down the yapping however, I am still considering hiring board officials next year…possibly for the 2nd half of the season or just the playoffs. All in all, I think the officiating has improved ten fold. There are still a lot of loose calls and I attribute that to a combination of some guys not having much reffing experience (some guys are reffing for the first time) and lack of familiarity with the NFHSA Rules of Basketball. People forget, we don’t play by NBA rules. Not saying I know the rule book in & out but there are rules & definitions that a number of people aren’t familiar with…myself included. That being said, I know for a fact that I read the rule book more than anyone else in the league…probably because I’m the only one with an official rule book LOL.

Regular season went well, aside from people throwing hissy fits (and to the credit of all the players, there is only one person who still throws hissy fits LOL) I think most of the players have improved on controlling their emotions. I understand that people will always complain about calls/non-calls, but what people don’t understand is that more often than not it’s the way you communicate the message and NOT the message you’re sending. If you’re screaming and yelling like a child, you’ll get treated like one. I think that’s fair…but I digress. I think it’s obvious that the quality and the skill level of the runs have improved and I’ve seen the improvement in a lot of players. It’s made for interesting games and once again the bar has been raised in the MBA…kudos to all the players for that. Hopefully we can continue to improve. My main goal with this league has and always will be to provide a forum where we can develop positive relationships and improve our skills through basketball. In the MBA, it’s all for the love of the game.

Overall, I’m really happy with the way things went this year. The league grew, the level of play has elevated and everyone has been good to each other off the court. I’m really hoping that next year we’ll be able to expand the league to 6 teams…another goal I’ve set for the league is to add at least 2 more teams each year. I’m also very thankful for our volunteer refs & scorekeepers. A lot of the guys have families and their commitment & dedication is a testament to their character and good hearts.

For the 2nd year in a row, the 2010 MBA Scoring Champ is from the Gators. Congratulations to Tony of the Gators. His plethora of inside moves and a solid jumpshot carried the Gators all year.

The 2010 Defensive Player of the Year is from my squad. Congrats to Terrence. Not only did he lead the league in steals, but in true Rodman fashion he was one of the top 2 rebounders all year. Kinda funny that the scoring champ & defensive player of the year are old childhood baseball rivalries.

For autograph sessions or appearances at your event, please contact the league Commissioner at markham.basketball@gmail.com

MBA...a way of life...

and boy our lives are comical LOL. Bizarre past couple weeks...Week 7 games ended up being 4 on 4, It was a kind gesture by the Rebels & Bulldogs for agreeing to 4 v 4 games instead of taking default wins. Although I think the Bulldogs should've taken the default win, LOL. This past week, all teams were playing with only 1 or 2 subs...if any. The chattering seems to have died down which is encouraging...or maybe it was just a good week. I bet come playoffs though, the chirping will surface again LOL I'm hoping ballers will prove me wrong and just play through it. After all, it's the playoffs and I think the refs have worked hard at improving, it shows. I have never paid attention to whether or not people thanked the refs or scorekeepers at the end of the games...



The playoff match ups look to be pretty much settled. At this level, anything can happen LOL I'm just hoping my ankle heals in time because it's not easy watching games slip away from the bench.

Busted lights, closin' out the regular season, brainstorming...

So unfortunately the games this past Sunday had to be cancelled. The school had new lights installed and 1 of them was apparently falling from the ceiling so it's a good thing the games were cancelled.

Regular season is coming to a close and the playoffs are starting soon. Should get interesting when the playoffs start. It'll be fun seeing everyone compete that much harder...hopefully guys remember the Captain's rule and treat each other with some respect.

I've started thinking about next year...the first thing I'm gonna do is probably book board officials once the permits are solidified. I think it'll be less headaches overall for everyone. Won't have to worry about if this guy or that guy can ref and hopefully people will have a little bit more self control if someone they don't know the person blowing a whistle on their blatant fouls! I also think it is necessary if I plan on expanding the league and having people outside my circle of friends register. It'll increase the quality of the run too.

I can't believe I'm friggin' blogging about this at this time of the day/night...

Team by Team breakdown..from my eyes

Bulldogs
Arguably the deepest and fastest team in the league, they haven't found their stride yet. Good shooters & versatile forwards. Scoring isn't a problem for this team and they have the ability to cause trouble on defense. Chemistry and getting familiar with each other has been the biggest set back. Can cause problems once they start to click with a healthy roster.


Gators
The defending champs although with a different look than last season. This years edition of the Gators features a more physical & aggressive team with the same defensive mindset as last year. They make you grind out the games but have the ability to beat you in different ways.


Rebels
The biggest front line in the league, they're tough to beat when they're focused and play their game. Controlling the glass has been the biggest key to their success. The free throw line is something they'd rather avoid. Solid team defensively, rely heavily on their big 3 on offense.


Wildcats
A very quick team with intense players. Can get up and down the court in a flash. Converting steals & turnovers into transition points are their strength. Streaky outside shooters with a good mid-range game, blink for a second and they're off and running. Liability is on the defensive end where they lack an inside presence and lose focus. Must keep composure if they plan on making a run.

So there are my reviews of the teams so far. Each team has it's strengths & weaknesses but overall, I think the teams are well balanced and anybody can win on any given night. On a side note, I hope the league players have been watching March Madness...these kids play incredibly clean & fundamentally sound basketball. Some of ya'll can learn a thing or two...like realizing how many fouls the refs let you babies get away with.

First Entry...

Alright, so here we are the first entry.


We're halfway through the MBA's second regular season and there are a lot of great things happening and always areas for improvement. Although there are only 4 teams we've had some really good games and it seems that there is lots of parity between teams. The league has grown...last year (our first year) we were playing 4 vs. 4 in an elementary school. This year we have enough people to run 5 vs 5 in a high school gym while still offering a pick up run on Mondays. Hopefully one day it will get big enough that we'll be able to organize a kids league and maybe even some sort of camp, you never know.


One of the challenges is dealing with the growth. We've been doing this Monday night pick up run for more than 10 years now and about 3 years ago we started getting 20 or 30 people asking to play. So I figured I'd turn this thing into a league..and since we're all friends, we'll ref our own games hoping there would be less arguing. Everything would be done on a volunteer basis to keep costs low and I would try to become a certified board official in York Region so I could share my knowledge & experiences with other people who'd want to ref games in the league. And believe me, becoming a board official isn't as stringent or difficult as some think...there is actually a lot of political bullcrap in their selection process.


After being affiliated with the York Region Association of Basketball Officials (YRABO) for a handful of months, I realized it wasn't for me. The YRABO wasn't a complete waste of time because I gained a lot of experience & knowledge. I reffed a few high school games, learned about proper mechanics, the flow of refs, who covers which area, positioning and of course aspects of the rule book. I learned that calls are missed if you aren't in position to see it...and THAT is something people don't understand. Knowing the rules is easy, being in position to make the right call is what's important. YRABO also allowed me to see things from the refs perspective and gave me a better understanding of how to deal with refs in leagues I played in....2 refs, 10 players. That's the same ratio of teacher to baby that they have at my 2 year old sons Day Care LOL.


I was 5 years old when I was introduced to basketball and I've loved it ever since. In the last 15 years, I've played in 5 different men's leagues and won championships in 2 of them. Who knows how many tournaments I've played in. Eons ago Tony on the Gators & I played together in High School and we won the York Region Championship. I've never met a ref that called a perfect game because a foul can be called on every friggin' play. What I have noticed is that the officials always called fouls that gave someone an unfair advantage...I've also learned that players never commit fouls LOL. Anyway, I've played in my fair share of leagues and I'm no stranger to the game of basketball. I'm a student of it and love this game immensely...this is something I always had in common with my friends that came out on Monday nights.


So what am I getting at by giving you a brief synopsis of my life & basketball? I want people to see where I'm coming from...to see how this league started and how the guiding principles of brotherhood, friendly competition and a love for the game drives it. Profit is not the goal of this league...building positive relationships through basketball while helping people improve their skills is. I've done my research by playing in other leagues and I know what they offer and for how much...I have a vested interest in this league and put a lot of time into it so when people bring complaints to me, I listen and try to find a way to resolve it. But I've heard some really funny things.

Check out some of the things people have said to me over the past month and my thoughts aftewards:

"You should've gotten sleeveless shirts."
Cut the damn sleeves off then...

"You should get board officials, other leagues do"
Do you know how that will affect the cost of the league? When it is necessary, I will call board officials and when I do, be ready to pay more than double what I charge now.

"There's a conflict of interest if players ref/stat track the games"
And what interest is that? What tha hell do any of the refs/volunteers get out of fixing or playing favourites in a league with 4 teams. My team is 1-4 right now...and this is MY league. What conflict is there? Volunteers are the backbone of the league...without them, there would be no league.

"Allan influences the refs.."
Yah, my teams 1-4 record shows it. I mention to them what calls to look for next week and share my reffing experiences with them to help them out. I know how tough it is to ref so I'll do what I can to help them along the way. On top of that, there's nothing wrong with talking to the refs...it's the game within the game. My motives are always to improve the league and keep the games going smoothly. You can always get the refs to listen to you if you speak to them RESPECTFULLY!

I've really had enough of all the bitching & complaining. The real reward is the game of basketball itself. You guys need to understand there's always a polite way to ask or question things...all this screaming, yelling & swearing is childish. I barely tolerate my 2 year old son throwing hissy fits, why should anyone in this league tolerate it from any of ya'll?

Hopefully this will give you guys a better understanding of where I'm coming from, my thought process and why this league exists. Part of playing basketball with officials is adjusting to the way they call the game, playing through it and applying a little bit of "reffing psychology".